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» Sydney 2000
Nicole
Hackett had a great Olympics, finishing 9th in a
field of the best 48 female triathletes in the
World!
She
did herself and her country AND her sport proud in
a day that was full of history.
It was
the first Olympics for Nicole, the first day of the
2000 Olympics, the first time ever that triathlon
was included in the Olympics.
Unfortunately,
In the lead up to the Olympics Nicole Hackett along
with Loretta Harrop faced a lengthy court
battle.
The
original team that was chosen were:
World
number 1 Michellie Jones
Loretta
Harrop
Nicole
Hackett
Reserves:
Emma Carney and Jackie Gallagher.
The
results from the 2000 ITU World Championship (Which
Nicole won!!!) and the 2000 Sydney World Cup (which
was held in Sydney in April Nicole placed 6th) were
the two "automatic qualifier" races. Michellie
Jones won the Sydney World Cup and so she was the
first Australian triathlete to become a member of
the 2000 Olympic team. Although Nicole then won the
2000 ITU (International Triathlon Union) World
Championship in Perth which gave her an automatic
place in the 2000 Olympic team the selections of
Carney and Gallagher as reserves were appealed and
passed so the four of Harrop, Hackett, Carney and
Gallagher were put on 'equal terms' and Triathlon
Australia, with the reasons in mind why Carney and
Gallagher's appeals were successful, would have the
job of choosing a Womens Olympic Triathlon team all
over again, with the exception of Michellie Jones,
as her place was cemented in the team.
If
anyone is thinking why Nicole's place in the team
was ever in doubt, seeing as she is the WORLD
CHAMPION and all :-) there were rumors that the two
appeals were more centered on Loretta Harrop as
either Carney or Gallagher or perhaps both
disagreed with her selection due to the fact that
she didn't compete in either of the 'olympic trial'
races.
Anyway,
to cut a hugely long story short, after a very
lenghtly legal battle Emma Carney and Jackie
Gallagher were told that they were still on the
reserve list and the original 3 had not been
changed with Jones, Harrop and Hackett our 3 Aussie
Triathletes to contest at the Olympics.
Nicole
had always mainted that she was confident of
selection, and so she shoulda been!, during the
whole court process (at least to the public/media
anyway!). Loretta Harrop was so relieved that she
could finally fulfil a life long dream she cried
over the phone from her training base in
Switzerland when informed ... awww! 'aint it
cute!
Congratulations
to all our Olympic Triathletes. You've done us
proud!
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